When You Say Nothing At All
by Andie Hollyfield
Summary: Wakabayashi's sick of hearing rumors about a new girl in the city... But what happens when it figures he meets her by chance? A One Shot Fic


When You Say Nothing At All: A Wakabayashi Genzo FanFic

(_Title Based on Ronan Keating and Paulina Rubio's song_)

-You heard? There's a new girl in Nankatsu.

-Rumors say she's quite pretty.

-I've heard she has a twin, and you can't know if she has a twin bro or sis just by looking.

-Shut up.

Wakabayashi Genzo was sick of all the rumors. Sure, right; he had lost to Tsubasa and now they were friends, but he hated it when everyone was just talking. He had never been a friend of gossip.

"Talk is cheap" –he thought, as he walked home (even though he was the city's current rich boy) "I bet none of those rumors are true."

However, he was deep in thought when he bumped with someone… shorter than him.

-Oi! –he yelled once he found himself on the floor. –Be careful, you…!

-Sorry –said somebody: A girl with a brown hip-length braid and intelligent eyes. –I think I was a bit distracted.

-Nah, forget it… Do I know you?

-I pretty much doubt it. I just arrived to the city. My name's Saki. Aiza Saki.

-I'm Wakabayashi Genzo…

-Shutetsu Elementary Soccer Team's captain, right?

-How do you know it?

-Tsubasa-kun told me about you.

"Oh, man… Those rumors are true. She's the new girl."

-… OK?

-Pardon?

-I asked if you're OK. You seemed to be deep in thought, Wakabayashi-kun.

-I guess I was. You see, there's been a lot of rumors in my school… About some new girl in Nankatsu.

-I guess they must've been about me. Gossip can go at light speed when you're some kind of freak, I guess.

-Freak? Why?

-Promise you won't laugh or anything?

-I'm a man of my word.

-I love soccer. Not just watching it, but playing it. Jun and I love it, and in my native country I…

-You… play soccer? Now that's weird. A soccer-playing girl…

-I knew you'd react like that. I must be now some kind of freak for you.

-Nah, it's just that I had never seen a Soccer Girl.

-'Soccer Girl?' My friends call me that nn.

-Nice to know… -and they kept on talking until dinnertime, on the very same spot they had bumped into each other.

Days passed, and though Genzo kept on shutting the others up when they began to gossip like old lady neighbors, knowing he was friends with the one everyone was talking about made him savor a bit of pride.

She had gone to his house; he had gone to hers, and as rumors confirmed, Saki had a twin BROTHER, Jun. Of course, it was very hard to know if Jun was a boy or a girl, but the Soccer Girl's twin had a flair for sarcasm and soccer, which immediately discarded the idea of Jun being a girl.

They shared a lot of free time, making the others at Nankatsu and Shutetsu wonder what the heck happened with them. Someone even imagined they weren't merely friends anymore, but no one could know the truth.

The National Soccer Tournament arrived, and since Saki had been accepted in the Nankatsu Elementary Soccer Team, she had been chosen along Tsubasa, Misaki, Jun and Ishizaki for the team, just like Genzo.

However, he suffered a serious injury due to a game, and couldn't even move when a creepy guy called Hyuga Kojiro challenged him and scored a goal. That same afternoon he went to the doctor… And was very depressed when the doctor told him he couldn't play soccer at all until he recovered.

That afternoon Tsubasa, Misaki, Jun, Ishizaki and Saki walked home together, talking about the strange events that happened that day. However, Ishizaki kicked his ball a bit too hard and Tsubasa recovered it, but in a moment of distraction he hit it too hard and hit the Monkey Boy on the face.

-Oi…! Huh? –Ishizaki muttered, looking in the same direction Tsubasa did.

-Isn't that Wakabayashi-kun? –asked sweet little Misaki-kun.

-Yeah but… -and Jun gasped upon seeing the sign of the place Genzo had just exited.

-The hospital? Did he have a stomachache? –Ishizaki wondered.

But Tsubasa and Saki called out Wakabayashi's name, and he stopped, even though he had tried to ignore them.

-Wakabayashi-kun, are you all right? –Tsubasa asked.

-Are you injured? –said both Misaki and Saki at the same time.

-It's just a minor injury.

-I don't think it was if you didn't react to Hyuga's shot –Ishizaki said.

-Look, I can react but I'm not sure if I can stop it!

-Well, you're right on that one. Hyuga's shot sure looks deadly –Jun said.

-But don't you think I'll give up my place in the team because of this. Once I get well, I'll beat Hyuga and show him who's boss.

-That's the spirit –Misaki said.

However…

-Saki, can I ask you something? –Wakabayashi asked mildly.

-Uh, sure… -the girl looked confused. –What?

-Can you come with me?

-What for?

-Hey, look at that! They're going on a date! –Ishizaki teased, but Jun hit him on the head to make him shut up.

-Don't be an idiot, Ishizaki. I only need to talk with my best friend –and both the keeper and the 'Soccer Girl' left… To the temple's belvedere, leaving the other four guys stranded.

-What got Wakabayashi-kun? –Tsubasa wondered, scratching his head.

-There are some things it's better not to know –Misaki replied, cryptic.

-What did you want to talk about? –Saki asked once.

-Well, sorry for not telling you I was injured, but I didn't want to lose my place in the team.

-Oh, that? Wakabayashi-kun, there's nothing to be afraid of. You're not going to lose your place because of your injury. You're our star keeper.

-How sure can you be of that?

-Got the hunch it's so.

-A hunch, huh? –Genzo laughed, his face near his pal's. –Don't tell me you can foresee things.

-Don't be stupid –Saki replied, pulling her friend's cap down, covering his eyes.

However, under their 'only friendship attitude,' something had happened. Genzo, who had at first thought of Saki as a pal, a friend, just as if she were a guy, felt something had changed. He didn't look at her with the eyes of a kid… He had grown up and now felt a strange urge… The urge of having Saki at his side… Holding her hand… Drying up her tears if she cried, laughing with her at a good joke…

I dunno about you, but I have the gut feeling that Wakabayashi Genzo had fallen in puppy love with his very best friend.

Nonetheless… he hadn't been the only one changing. Saki had also begun to be conscious that Genzo wasn't just an ordinary friend. She was normally someone who saw everyone's best features before the less fortunate ones, and though she had never looked at her best friend much in detail… She noticed many things. His hands were strong, firm, but gentle enough to pick up a hurt kitten and make it feel at ease; even though he usually wore it short and under his cap, he had thick, bushy black hair… But what drew her nearer to him sometimes was his eyes. His black, expressive eyes could have a spark when he was in a sunny attitude or burn with anger when he was furious. He sometimes said more things with his eyes than with his words…

She understood him better when he said nothing at all… and the other way around.

Once again, I have a gut feeling… That Saki also felt the same her pal did.

Sunset was nearing, and it seemed it'd be one of those beautiful red and gold ones. They had talked about lots of things, including Genzo's injury, Saki's anxiousness of playing the National Soccer Tournament and such. But it was he who brought the topic up.

-Say, Saki… You've ever liked someone?

-What? What do you mean, Wakabayashi-kun?

-If you've ever liked some one… Some boy. As more than a friend, I mean.

That really scared the girl. Not only did she get the goosebumps, but also made her quite nervous.

-I… I guess I have.

-Then he's got to be really lucky.

-Wa, Wakabayashi-kun! –Saki stuttered, her face redder than the sky.

-Something the matter? You're red.

-Would you mind explaining yourself?

-Well… I only said what I thought. I mean, you're pretty much the best friend anyone can have, especially a guy. And… You're also a good-looking girl.

Genzo felt he had a soccer ball-sized lump in his throat.

-I don't know what you're getting at, Wakabayashi-kun… But I guess it's some kind of compliment.

The boy nodded.

-And… I guess I should ask. You've ever liked any girls? I mean, you're by far a very popular boy in your school.

-Not until now –and in his eyes Saki read something that left her in a shock.

-You mean…

-Well, I'm usually very honest with you, but I didn't know how to tell you. I was trying to be as usual with you as I could… But I guess I couldn't hide it much longer.

-You, you mean…

-Saki, I can't see at you as a friend anymore. I don't know what did you to do me to make me act like this. I… I…

-You like me, right?

Genzo was only able to nod, his face redder than his cap.

The girl blushed too… Especially when her pal, her best friend took her hand carefully.

-Hey, how did you know it?

-I read it in your eyes, Wakabayashi-kun. I've always been able to read what you feel in them… And you say what you feel best when you say nothing at all…

But the girl wasn't able to say anything else – Wakabayashi had stopped her with a kiss.

-I say what I feel best… When I say nothing at all, you said. And it's true. And I guess… You feel the same. Your eyes say that, and your lips said that too –Genzo said after retreating a step… Just when the sunset was at its most beautiful moment.

-G… Genzo…

-Only want you to know… That I don't like you. I… I… I love you with all my heart –and another kiss followed the one that had said more than a single word.

It's true. They said what they felt best when they said nothing at all

OWARI


End file.
